KEY POINTS:
Those catching Parliament's live debut on the internet yesterday would have been left with one impression: you don't mess with Margaret.
The full-throttle cries of "order" from the Speaker reached a rasping, paint-stripping maximum as Margaret Wilson determined that on the historic first day of transmission of Parliament's
full proceedings in a visual format, the House would display a high degree of decorum regardless of the paltry numbers actually watching in cyberspace.
As she acknowledged to one Cabinet minister, she was in no mood to be trifled with.
It was a curious afternoon. The first day back following a recess would normally be pretty lively with the Opposition having its first opportunity in two weeks to quiz ministers. However, members seemed cognisant of the occasion and the installation of eight remote-controlled cameras around the chamber initially seemed to have a tranquillising effect on proceedings.
By the end of ministers' question-time, however, no fewer than four MPs had either been booted out of the chamber by the Speaker or walked of their own accord for various misdemeanours.
The catalyst for the brief bout of disorder was the Government's inability to secure the numbers to pass the Therapeutic Products and Medicines Bill, with National seeking to highlight Labour's embarrassment.
However, Annette King is the minister in charge of legislation and, typically, she took the fight right back to National by noting that it had wanted to introduce such a measure while in Government in the late 1990s.
She taunted John Key by citing National's decision not to support Labour's legislation as pure politics and "a failure of leadership".
The barrage of noise provoked by Ms King's onslaught prompted Winston Peters to complain about barracking by National and Labour MPs, and he suggested the Speaker eject the noisiest ones for a few days.
She instead responded to this free advice by throwing out Mr Peters' colleague, Ron Mark, after the NZ First MP noted she had failed to eject an unnamed National MP who had apparently committed the no-no of interjecting while the Speaker was on her feet.
According to Mr Mark, she was creating the perception that she was showing favourable treatment to National. "I would like you, please, to explain why you did not throw that member out of the House," he pleaded.
There would be no explanation. She instead took the comment as a reflection on the chair and promptly ordered Mr Mark to leave.
His departure prompted a mild guffaw from National's side of the House. Once Wayne Mapp had owned up to that, he was on his way too.
Mr Peters pointed out there had been laughter elsewhere in the House. However, the Speaker told him National's Allan Peachey had acknowledged responsibility and had already left the chamber.
The tale-telling was not finished, although Labour's Trevor Mallard, who was next up, took the precaution of saying he would be very careful not to try the Speaker's patience.
"Yes, I think you should be," she interrupted brusquely before Mr Mallard accused National's David Bennett of interjecting while the Speaker had been delivering a ruling.
Margaret Wilson had not heard anything. But she then put all MPs on a final warning just for good measure.
Mr Bennett had survived. But National's Bob Clarkson later became the fourth MP to get an early shower. He called Labour Minister Ruth Dyson a liar, such name-calling being forbidden under Parliament's rules. He refused to apologise so out he went like the other three, unceremoniously dispatched without fuss or favour.
